The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio

Are you a resident of the Dayton area dreading the thought of cabin fever this season? Perhaps you're planning a trip to western Ohio and in search of an interesting way to fill a day or two. My suggestion to you: The National Museum of the United States Air Force.

The Air Force Museum lies off I-675 in the outskirts of Dayton, Ohio on the southern edge of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base/Wright Field (there is no need to possess a military I.D. as the general public is welcome). The museum consists of three gargantuan aircraft hangars, a silo, several memorial hallways, two theaters, a gift shop, a café, additional exhibit rooms, and a large memorial park. Therefore you will need at least all day, if not all weekend, to view everything in detail.

Upon arriving through the gates and taking in the complex's sprawling lawn (a former runway) and imposing structures, you will find yourself in a large (fee-free) parking lot. Before you even enter the museum you are immersed in military history. The Memorial Park is a huge, open-air collection of hundreds of unique memorials, statues, and dedications. Throughout the day, a carillon-like device echoes across the property. This is the perfect serenade if you choose to have your lunch at the adjoining picnic tables.

When entering the museum's foyer, you are greeted with an information desk and an enormous gift shop and bookstore; full of any conceivable merchandise relating to military, space, and flight history-from trinkets and toys for a few dollars to original antiques worth several hundred dollars.

One of the most interesting sections of the museum is the first hangar-the gallery of the early years of flight. Orville and Wilbur Wright, the brothers credited for being the first in human flight, lived in Dayton. The original site where these flights took place still exists only a couple of miles from the museum. Naturally, The Early Flight Gallery contains many mementos from the Brothers' lives. This large room also includes several primitive airplanes and a large blimp hanging from the ceiling.